Fire-escape ladder



(No Model.) .2 Sheets-Sheet 1. L. J. CHASE.

FIRE ESCAPE LADDER.

No. 430,173. Patented June 1'7, 1890.

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FIRE ESCAPE LADDER.

Patented June 17, 1890.

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Mhtwmea UNITED STATES PATENT UEEICE.

LESTER J. CHASE, OF BUFFALO,'NEVV YORK.

FIRE-ESCAPE LADDER.

I SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 430,173, dated June 17, 1890.

Application filed January 4, 1890. Serial No. 335,908| (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LESTER J. CHASE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escape Ladders; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a portable flexible ladder to wind on a drum and used for fireescapes or other purposes against the sides or front of buildings; and it consists in the combination and arrangement of the parts and in certain features to be hereinafter fully explained.

In the. drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device in position; Fig. 2, one side of lower part enlarged,showingframe and part of ladder; Fig. 3, one side of ladder enlarged with frame removed; Fig. 4, a side View of one section of ladder detached and jointcoverer; Fig. 5, a front view of one section of ladder detached; Fig. 6, a top view of same, showing position of slide or joint cover.

A represents the metal frame supporting in suitable bearings a large drum B, around which a jointed ladder O winds by means of a crank. On one side of the drum B is a cogwheel, which meshes into a cog-wheel c of a drum or frame journaled in frame A just above and a little back of drum B. This in turn meshes into a smaller cog-wheel cl, journaled in the top of the frame A, having cogwheels at both ends of its shaft.

The ladder 0 consists of a series of sections ff, hinged together at e 6, each having a metal ring in the middle, (see Figs. 4, 6, and 7,) said section sides being cut away at the corners for winding purposes. The outsides of the ladder-sections are provided with a cogged rack, into which the cogs of the wheel d mesh. These by operating the crank unwind and run up the ladder or wind it on drum B.

A pressure-roller m is set in the frame A at each side in contact with the under side of the ladder-rack and opposite cog-wheels d.

lo make the ladder rigid at the joints as it goes up and hold it so, the inside lower half of the ladder-sections f f are provided with a metal covering piece or slide g, the edges being bent over the outside edges of the ladder-sections f f and adapted to slide down over the joints or hinge e of its own and the next section. This is accomplished as follows: In the sides of the frame A, just below the cog-wheel d and opposite each other, are two triangular-shaped dogs h h, pivoted in the frame, the inside dog h pivoted at its lower end and the outside one 72. pivoted at its upper end. Springs 2' at the other end of each keep the dogs in position, as shown in Fig. 3. Each side piece of each rung of the ladder is first cut away at the inside corners to admit of winding on the drum, as before stated, and the inside at the upper end is cut away a short distance into anotch n, and the lower back part is cut out into a similar notch 41. As the ladder goes up, the projecting free end of the inside dog h strikes against the upper edge or end of the slide g and forces it down over the joint e until it strikes and rests in the notch n of the side piece f, the spring of the dog keeping it in position for the next slide, and so on, the same on both sides of the ladder. To throw these slides all back in their normal position when the ladder is drawn down and wound up the opposite spring dog 7L comes in play. It being in reversed position to dog 72., its projecting free end catches under the end of the slide 9 and pushes it upward until the upper end of the slide rests on the notch 02 in the back of side piece f, and so on throughout the ladder. This is very simple and ef fective, and the whole ladder is without complication.

The entire device may be stationary or made movable, if desired, by putting it on wheels.

Ido not claim, broadly, a jointed ladder operated by "cogs adapted to be wound on a drum and its sections or hinges looked, as such are old.

I claim In a fire-escape, a ladder made flexible and adapted to be wound on the drum B, having the sectional side pieces f f cut away at n n, adapted to receive the joint-covering slides g g, and the spring-dogs h h, pivoted in the frame A, adapted to' act on said slides to cover and uncover the joints 6 e of said ladder, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

LESTER J. CHASE. Witnesses:

J. R. DRAKE, JAMES J. LANNON. 

